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Starring:
Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod) Guests:
Valentine Pelka (Kronos)
Written by: David Tynan |
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Duncan: "Oh, yeah, an oversized ego would have nothing to do with it."
They go past the others waiting, and several people congratulate Methos.
Methos: "I think they love me."
Duncan: "They'd love a hammerhead shark if he had a nice smile."
Methos: "They've asked me back next week, what do you think?"
Duncan: "One word."
Methos, ready to guess: "Okay."
Duncan: "Animal, four legs, carries heavy weights."
Methos: "Donkey."
Duncan, leaving him behind: "Nonononono. Try three letters . . . "
Methos: "Three letters, that would be . . ." Finally gets it. He glares, and catches up with Duncan as they round the corner. Duncan is worried that someone might have recognized him, but Methos doesn't think so, and besides, he didn't make it into the finals.
Duncan: "Yeah. Tom Jones didn't popularize The Twist."
Methos: "So, I'm a little weak on pop culture."
Duncan: "Uh-huh."
Methos: "Well, who the hell is Chubby Checker in the grand scheme of things anyway? I mean, I know how tall Nero was, I know Caesar's favorite food, I know Helen of Troy didn't have that great a face and it only launched a hundred ships not a thousand, I--"
Duncan, bored: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah. . ."
Methos, annoyed: "Fine."
They both stop as they sense another immortal. Methos asks if Duncan's expecting anyone, and when Duncan says no, Methos decides to take the scenic way back. But Duncan says he likes to know who's in town, and they part. Duncan finds Kronos standing in an alley, and recognizes him as Melvin Koren . . .
[Note: For this flashback it's less confusing, I think, to refer to Kronos as Koren, since that's who Mac thinks he's chasing. For the rest of the time, I refer to him consistently as Kronos.]
Duncan and the other Rangers prepare go to after Koren. The leader says that Koren's been "shot, stabbed, some claim he was even lynched, but I find that hard to credit. The comancheros call him El Gato, The Cat. They say he has nine lives."
Duncan: "No, he's just got one, like everyone else. And like everyone else, he can lose it."
Someone comes to tell them that's Koren's at the other end of town, near the corral, and they go to confront him. The Ranger tells his men to "show no mercy. And expect none." At first, they only see Koren's comancheros, then Duncan senses him and warns the Rangers that there's another one. Koren walks out, and the Ranger tells him he's being arrested for murder.
Koren: "I like it fine right here. Saloons, woman, whiskey. No, I think we'll stay put."
Duncan: "Either way, Koren. On your feet or on your back, it's all the same."
Koren: "I think you came a long way to die."
They start shooting. Men from both sides go down, and Koren retreats into the barn. Duncan pursues him, and Koren ambushes him from the loft. They fight, and Koren eventually succeeds in disarming MacLeod. He tosses their swords aside and picks up a scythe. "I do love the old ways best," he says. Duncan recovers his gun and has it pointed at him, but Koren is still raising to strike when the Rangers come in and shoot him.
Ranger: "It's over."
Cut to Koren's grave, the coffin opened and the body gone. Duncan picks up the cross and tosses it down, saying, "Next time." The cross reads: "1867. Melvin Koren. Better Than He Deserved."
Duncan: "What are you doing?"
Cassandra: "Trying to kill someone, what does it look like?"
She looks around, but Duncan tells her that he's gone, and takes her back to the dojo.
Back at the loft, Cassandra is nervous and upset, pacing back and forth. Duncan is a little shaken, too.
Duncan: "It's not every day I almost take my friend's head by mistake. Or she takes mine."
Cassandra: "It was an accident."
Duncan: "Oh, glad to hear it."
Cassandra: "I was this close, Duncan. This close, and he got away. But not again. Not ever again."
Duncan asks her to tell him about it, but Cassandra starts to leave, determined to go after him. Duncan stops her, telling her she's in no shape to go after anyone.
Cassandra: "I'll take the chance."
Duncan: "Then you'll lose. Cassandra, I know Koren, I know how dangerous he is."
Cassandra: "Koren?" She goes on to tell him that the man he knows as Koren, "Long before he called himself Koren he went by another name. Kronos. And he was one of the Four Horsemen."
Duncan: "The what? He can't be."
Cassandra: "No?"
Duncan: "If the Horsemen were alive they existed ages ago, maybe thousands of years. They can't exist any more."
But Cassandra says that there's one left. She sits down and turns over a (handy) hourglass, looking at the sands pouring as she begins to talk about the Horsemen . . .
As she speaks, we see a man gathering sticks in the desert. He looks up, and sees the Four Horseman ride over a dune. They are all masked and cloaked. The wood gatherer begins to run, and they chase him, all four riding almost knee to knee.
Cut to a small camp, Cassandra explaining that she lived with a tribe of nomads. Their healer, Hijad found her when she was a baby and raised her. She says that she wasn't an immortal yet, but the healer sensed special powers within her, and taught her his trade. We see her bandaging a man's arm, and Hijad says a charm over it before he leaves.
Back to the fleeing woodgatherer.
Hijad is telling Cassandra that one day she will pass on his special skills, that she will be the healer.
Cassandra: "But you will always be here."
Hijad: "Not always."
The woodgatherer runs on, and the horsemen catch him and cut him down. They appear on the hill near the village, and Hijad and Cassandra stand. Kronos draws his sword (bronze, natch) and the Horsemen charge. Hijad shouts "No!" raising his hands as if to stop them, and Cassandra asks who they are.
Hijad: "The Horsemen."
The Horsemen ride through the camp, killing everyone in their path. Hijad and Cassandra stand by their tent, and Kronos rides up to them.
Kronos: "Do you know who we are?"
Hijad: "We have nothing you want."
Kronos pulls off his helmet, revealing his fact decorated with black tattoos. While Cassandra looks on, horrified, he says, "Then you die," and stabs at Hijad. But Cassandra steps in front of the blade, and falls, dying. The Horseman in white swings, and we hear Hijad cry out.
Cut to the village, smoking and in ruins, then fade back to . . .
Cassandra: "All the hate. All the pain I tried to leave behind. It never leaves, does it?"
Duncan, very gently, sweetly: "Sometimes. For a while." He kisses her forehead, and hugs her to him.
Joe: "You're kidding me right? The 4 Horsemen of the Apocolypse? Like in the bible?"
Mac: "No, like in the Kentucky Derby!"
Joe: "Hey great! Let's call my bookie, who're we betting on - War, Famine, Pestilence..."
Cass, interrupting, "Death!"
Joe: "You're serious?"
Mac: "Dead Serious!"
Joe: "The Four Horsemen . . . They're symbols of doom."
Cassandra: "A symbol didn't put my tribe to the sword."
Duncan tells Joe that the Horsemen were immortals, and that one was called Kronos.
Joe: "Sounds like something out of the Dark Ages."
Cassandra: "Bronze, actually. I know, I was there."
Cass: "find Kronos!"
Joe: "But how? I mean, even if this is real, I've never heard of this guy before!"
Mac: "Yeah, but you have heard of Melvin Koren."
Joe: "Yeah," looks at mac, slowly a look of realisation comes over his face, "I'll see what I can find out!"
Methos is coming out of a building, carrying a backpack. He's going to his car when he senses another immortal. "MacLeod?" He turns, looking for the immortal, and takes a knife in his chest. Kronos steps up to him, smiling.
Kronos: "Greetings, brother."
Methos, choking: "Kronos."
Kronos: "I missed you, too." Lets him fall as he dies, and looks down at him, grinning.
Inside an abandoned power station (Hmm, exterior looks a lot like the warehouse where Kuyler was hiding in "See No Evil," doesn't it ? ;)). Kronos, carrying a hook and chain, walks over to Methos as he's reviving.
Kronos: "Been a long time. How are you feeling?"
Methos, coughing: "Like I left my heart in San Francisco."
Kronos: "I didn't know you had a heart. Does it hurt?"
Methos: "What do you think?" Rolls over and starts getting up, slowly.
Kronos: "Since you ask?" Kneels down and pushes him on his back again. "I think you're not used to pain, brother. What's happened, you got soft?!"
Methos, angrily: "I just passed through my angry adolescence a little quicker than you, Kronos."
Kronos: "For a long time I thought you were dead. I didn't even bother looking for you." Lets him get up, then says he heard rumors about the world's oldest man. "You slipped up there, old friend. You got sloppy."
Methos: "Well, we're none of us perfect."
Kronos: "I shouldn't be surprised you're still alive. You were always the one I counted on. You weren't the strongest or the toughest, but you were the survivor. It's what you do best. Or did."
Methos: "So you've come to kill me."
Kronos sits down next to him. "It's what I do best!" he says cheerfully. "But you do have a choice."
Methos: "Oh, I'm all for choices."
Kronos: "Well, you can either lose your head. Or you can join me."
Methos: "Since you put it that way . . . Welcome back, brother."
Duncan is in the dojo office, flipping through an old book, when Methos comes into the dojo.
Methos, breathing a little hard, sounding shaky: "I was worried about you, MacLeod. Glad you made it." Meets Duncan halfway, saying, "Something unexpected has come up--"
Duncan: "Yeah, tell me about it." Asks him if he's heard of Kronos.
Methos: "Kronos?" (I wish I could convey the tone of voice in that one little word. His voice breaks just a hair, and he sounds as if he's almost asking a question, but at the same time stunned at hearing Duncan say the name.)
Duncan: "Yeah."
Methos takes a deep breath to say something, but before he can Cassandra comes down in the elevator. She takes one look at Methos and says, "You?!"
Methos, after a beat, casual: "Who's this?"
Cassandra whips out her sword: "Draw your sword."
Methos: "MacLeod, who is she?" He retreats behind Duncan as Duncan tries to calm Cassandra down.
Cassandra: "Stay out of this, MacLeod."
Methos, slowly and deliberately: "You don't know me."
Cassandra: "Do you think I could ever forget you?"
Cassandra: "Where are they? Hijad? My people, take me to them."
Methos, pleasant: "You want to see them?" Points. "There they are."
Cassandra looks at the piled skulls: "You killed them? All of them?"
Methos touches the front of her robe: "Including you."
Cassandra looks down at the bloody tear: "The wound. It's gone. I should be dead."
Methos: "You live because I wish it. And you stay alive as long as you please me." Puts his hand on her neck. She strikes it away and he slaps her to the ground. "That did not please me." Kneels down and yanks up her robe. He runs his hand up her leg, saying, "I am Methos. You live to serve me. Never forget that."
He's distracted from her then by the sounds of Silas and Caspian fighting. He leaves her and goes to where they're arguing over a cloak. Caspian draws on Silas, and Methos shouts for Caspian to lay down. Caspian asks why he should.
Methos, grabbing him and putting his own sword to his throat: "Because I will kill you. Trust me, if I have to lose one, it will be you."
Kronos comes up and asks if there's a problem.
Methos: "Not anymore." Lets Caspian go. Kronos tells the two to hold the cloak up, and cuts it down the middle. "We share everything," he says.
While they're arguing, Cassandra goes to Methos's horse and tries to get on it. He catches her and draws his dagger. "You died once today. Did you enjoy that? Well learn this lesson well: I will kill you as many times as it takes to tame you." Raises the knife.
Cassandra: "This is between you and me, Methos."
Duncan finally grabs her, yelling for Methos to get out of there. He holds Cassandra until she calms down, and by then Methos is gone. Cassandra is furious, saying he had no right to interfere.
Duncan: "He didn't even know you."
Cassandra: "He's a liar! Don't come between us again."
Duncan: "Cassandra, he's my friend."
Cassandra: "You're 'friend' rode with Kronos, killed and raped alongside him. He was one of the Horsemen." She leaves.
Duncan: "What do I know about Methos?"
Joe: "Can you imagine him murdering women and children for pleasure?"
Duncan: "No."
Joe tells him that sometimes all you have to go with is your gut. "If I were you, I'd listen to him."
Mac: "It's just not enough!"
Joe: "Hey, as you know, the Watchers don't know everything. Hell, you know as much about Methos' history as I do. If it's proof you're looking for buddy, I'm fresh out."
Mac: "Then I'm just gonna have to find my own." He turns and walks out
Methos meets Kronos at the power plant.
Kronos: "So, you're back."
Methos, smirking: "What'd you think I'd do? Run and hide?"
Kronos says he's too smart for that, that he knows Kronos would track him down and kill him.
Methos: "Well, it's nice to feel wanted."
Kronos: "Not want. Need." Tells him he's tried to take up the old ways, but always failed because the men he rode with were trash, scum. "I had no one to plan my raids. No one who understood the true use of terror. You are one of a kind, Methos. As we all were. There was never a band like us. Never in all history."
He turns his back on Methos, and Methos comes nearer. "You took quite a risk, letting me out of your sight earlier on today," he says, holding his sword behind his back.
Kronos, looking sidelong at him: "A lot of time has passed since we rode together. I had to be sure of you." Methos swings at him, but he's already grabbing his arm and bringing his knife to Methos's throat. "And now I am." They struggle briefly for Methos's sword, then Methos lets it go and backs away.
Methos, upset: "Don't you understand?! I'm not like that anymore. I -- I have changed."
Kronos: "No. You pretended to. Maybe even convinced yourself you had, but inside you're still there Methos. You're like me."
Methos: "Not anymore."
Kronos: "No? Tell me you haven't missed it."
Methos: "The killing?"
Kronos: "The freedom! The power! Riding out of the sun knowing that you're the most terrifying thing that they've ever seen. Knowing that their weapons and their gods are useless against you, that you're the last thing they'll ever see." Methos closes his eyes. "That's what you're meant to be, Methos." Methos is breathing hard, shaking. "Don't fight it, feel it," Kronos tells him, then tells him Cassandra is there.
Methos: "We didn't exactly exchange gifts."
Kronos: "You know that she'll kill you if she gets the chance." Methos nods slightly. "You never could bring yourself to take her head, could you? So I'm going to do it for you."
Methos: "And in return?" Kronos: "You kill Duncan MacLeod."
Methos: "But he's my friend. He's nothing to you. Why?"
Kronos: "Why? Because he's your friend!" He raises his voice a little, "Because you still have to prove yourself!" Now shouting, "Because YOU OWE ME!" He lifts a knife, and cuts across his palm. Holds the knife in front of Methos, "Now swear. Swear you will kill Macleod!"
Methos takes the knife and cuts himself in the same way. "I swear."
They clasp their hands together.
Methos leaving his building again, carrying a box under his arm. He loads it into the back of his Jimmy, then senses an immortal. He sees Duncan coming towards him.
Duncan, with a catch in his voice: "Going somewhere?" Methos tells him he shouldn't be there, and keeps loading stuff. Duncan asks him what he's running from, "the question or the answer."
Methos: "There is no answer, MacLeod. Let it be."
Duncan: "Is what she said true?"
Methos: "I'm outta here." Shuts the back of the truck and heads for the driver's door. Duncan steps in front of him.
Duncan: "No, you're not. You're not outta here. Is what she said true?"
Methos: "The times were different, MacLeod. I was different. The whole bloody world was different, okay?"
Duncan, looking as if he's ready to start crying: "Did you kill all those people?"
Methos, decisively: "Yes. Is that what you want to hear?" Pauses. "Killing was all I knew. Is that what you want to hear?"
Duncan: "It's enough." Starts to walk away. Methos grabs him and heaves him against the truck.
Methos: "No. It's not enough. I killed, but I didn't just kill 50, I didn't kill a hundred . . . I killed a thousand. I killed ten thousand! And I was good at it." Smiles a little, speaking pleasantly now. "And it wasn't for vengeance. It wasn't for greed. It was because I liked it." He lets MacLeod go, laughing a little. "Cassandra was nothing. Her village was nothing. Do you know who I was? I was Death." Starts laughing as Duncan grabs him and pushes him against the car. Duncan is smiling at him, too. "Death. Death on horse. When mothers warned their children that the monster would get them, that monster was me. I was the nightmare that kept them awake at night. Is that what you want to hear?" Methos nods. "The answer is yes. Ooh, yes."
Duncan lets him go: "We're through."
They nod at each other, and both of them look like they're about to cry. Duncan walks off, and leaves Methos standing there.
Joe: "I'm not defending it. I'm trying to understand it."
Duncan: "What's to understand? When he rode into a village there was life. When he rode out there wasn't."
Joe says Duncan wasn't there, that it was different times, different morals, but Duncan says he won't compare it, and he can't excuse it.
Joe: "How many men have you killed? How much blood have you shed in anger?"
Duncan: "Look, I know what I've done, and I live with it. But I'm telling you this is different." He says that they burned and raped across two continents, that they "butchered innocent women and children, Joe. You live with that, you see that."
Joe, quiet: "I have. Vietnam. When we took out a village, we couldn't tell the farmers from the soldiers. You think somehow the bullets managed to miss all the children?"
Duncan, though, insists that it's different "because he loved it. Because he had pleasure in killing."
Joe's phone rings. When he hangs up, he tells Duncan it's about Kronos. He's at an abandoned power station down by the docks. Duncan says he thought they didn't have a Watcher on Kronos. Joe says they don't. They have one on Cassandra, and she led them to him. Duncan dashes out.
At the power station, Kronos is sitting and reading. He senses another immortal, and says, "I hope you brought me his sword." But instead of Methos, Cassandra answers him.
Cassandra: "I brought mine. It's all I need."
Kronos draws his sword and strolls over to her. "You look different, somehow," he says. "Maybe it's because you're on your feet for a change, instead of your back." Laughs.
Cassandra: "Centuries pass. Nations come and go. But you remain the same."
Kronos: "I try." He asks if she's come for him, telling her that Methos is out killing Duncan. "Let's see if you've learned anything in the last 3000 years."
Cassandra obliges: "You're weak, Kronos," she says, using The Voice. "Tired. All you want to do is close your eyes. You have to close your eyes."
Kronos: "Why? So you can kiss me?"
Cassandra tries again: "Your sword grows heavy."
Kronos smiles and suggests: "Make love to me before I kill you." Waves his sword. "And cut out the feeble tricks. They won't work on me."
Cassandra abandons the magic and attacks him. She quickly loses her sword and retreats from him. Kronos stalks after her, saying that "Methos never liked the idea of killing you. But I do."
Cassandra releases a steam valve to blind him, and runs away with Kronos giving chase. She makes it down the ladder, but senses another immortal. Up above, Kronos dashes in pursuit, and stops as he, too, gets a buzz. Downstairs, Cassandra starts to run, but only takes a few steps before Methos appears and knocks her out. Above, Kronos yells for her to come out, telling her if she does he'll make it quick. As he speaks, we see Methos carrying Cassandra outside. When Kronos is finished speakng, Duncan comes out behind him.
Duncan: "Then let's make it quick. Because I can't wait."
Kronos turns to face him, laughing. They start to fight. Outside, Methos is still carrying Cassandra, holding her over a rail. "You should have killed me when you had the chance," she says weakly as he tosses her off te bridge into the water. He throws her scarf after her angrily, then turns and strolls off. In the plant, Duncan and Kronos are still fighting, and we see Methos holding a Molotov cocktail. He lights it and tosses it almost negligently to the floor, where it explodes. As Duncan and Kronos continue fighting, he keeps on throwing the firebombs around them, and pours out gasoline. He throws one last bomb, and the gasoline ignites, throwing up a wall of fire between Kronos and Duncan. Only when they're separated does he turn and push the fire alarm. Kronos and Duncan stare at each other across the flames, then Kronos raises his sword. "I can wait," he calls, and leaves.
Duncan returns to the dojo and finds Cassandra there. "I didn't think you were still alive."
Cassandra: "I'm here. Did you find Kronos?"
Duncan: "Yeah."
Cassandra: "He's dead?" Duncan shakes his head. "Then I've failed."
Duncan: "No, you didn't fail. You're still alive."
Cassandra: "And so are they. It'll never be over until they're both dead."
Duncan: "Then we'll find them." Puts his arms around her.
Methos doesn't seem too worried, despite the blade. "Could have gone either way. I couldn't take the chance."
Kronos moves closer: "Were you afraid of me losing? Or him? Have I been wrong about you?" Methos doesn't say anything. "Maybe I should kill you right now and make absolutely sure." Methos: "If you do that you'll never have the Four Horsemen."
Kronos: "What are you saying?"
Methos: "Silas and Caspian are alive."
Kronos: "You're lying."
Methos: "I can take you to them."
Kronos withdraws the blade. "Then you live." Backs away, looking exultant. "The Four Horsemen ride again." Goes off, leaving Methos standing alone.
The Bronze Age costumes and make-up worn by the Horseman were pretty interesting. Okay, so they did look a little like a 70s rock group, but they were cool anyway . . . I mentioned what Methos looked like, but the other Horseman were a little different, wearing black markings on their faces that didn't seem permanant. At least, Kronos's came off while he was with Cassandra in his tent. The other horseman also dressed in dark colors as opposed to Methos's white, and Methos rode the only white horse.
Speaking of horses, I should probably mention that the Horseman rode using modern tack, saddles, bridles and so on, but it's been pointed out to me that such gear wasn't actually used until hundreds of years later. Just a note of trivia . . .
Until "Revelation 6:8"
These pages are written by Jinjifore and are translated into HTML and maintained by Ian.
Disclaimer: All the dialogue, characters, situations, and darn near everything else belong to a bunch of fine and talented folks at Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis, and in particular the dialogue belongs to the credited writer of this episode. Me, I just wrote the rest down in my own words, which belong to me, but the episode itself was made by the aforementioned people and is owned by them. This humble synopsis isn't meant to infringe on their rights, and I'm sure as heck not making any money from doing these.
Everything not belonging to Rysher, et al, ©Copyright 1997 by Jinjifore
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Celtic clip art courtesy of the Celtic Art Web Page.
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